The Book of Mormon, War Horse Coming to the Paramount

Be still our Trey Parker-lovin’ hearts.

Mormon missionaries are hitting the road, and it’s not to stump for Mitt Romney. Seattle will be the lucky host to The Book of Mormon—the foul-mouthed, warm-hearted musical by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone—when it embarks on its first national tour this winter. After winning nine Tony Awards in 2011, including best musical, BoM became the biggest thing on Broadway since The Producers. I tried to buy tickets for my family this past Christmas, and the best I could do was a show in January… 2013. Ironically, opening night at the Paramount Theatre is January 8, 2013.

On the whole, the 2012-2013 Broadway-in-Seattle season is the most exciting it’s been in years; subscriber tickets are currently on sale, with single tickets available at a later date.

Wicked
Oct 10–Nov 17, 2012
Still one of my favorites. The witches of Oz return after a hugely successful Seattle run in 2009. As Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) will likely tell you, it’s not easy being green—but it’s profitable.

The Book of Mormon
Jan 8–20, 2013
From the twisted minds of the makers of South Park and Avenue Q, the year’s best musical (about Mormon missionaries in Africa) is going to sell out in seconds, so keep an eye on this blog for ticket announcements. See the comment section below for an update.

War Horse
Feb 13–24, 2013
Seattle Repertory Theatre teamed up with Seattle Theatre Group to bring the Tony-winning play—complete with its original, masterful puppetry—to the Paramount for its Seattle premiere. The story of a boy and his horse on the Western Front is based on the same children’s book as Spielberg’s recent blockbuster.

Flashdance
Apr 16–21, 2013
What to expect from this musical remake of the 1980s film: Spandex. “Maniac.” 16 new songs. A girl with a dream (to leave her day job as a welder in Pittsburgh to be a ballerina). More spandex.

Fela!
May 28–June 2, 2013
This pulsating, gyrating musical by Bill T. Jones explores the life of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian bandleader and rebel who gave birth to funk-jazz hybrid Afrobeat. Two words: dance party.

Sister Act: The Musical
Aug 20–25, 2013
Fans of Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘90s movie Sister Act will recognize the story in this adaptation, about a sassy showgirl hiding out from hit men in a convent, but the music by Alan Menken is brand new. It’s irreverent, to be sure, but more importantly, it’s a glitzy, disco-fied tribute to the ‘70s, complete with sequined nun habits.